This invention relates to a device for crushing an article such as an oil filter, and more particularly to such a device which includes a piston assembly operating under the influence of pressurized fluid to crush the article.
Disposal of used oil filters presents several problems. For one, a used oil filter contains a volume of waste oil which, if the filter is discarded into a landfill or the like, presents the possibility of introducing a toxic and flammable material into the landfill. In addition, an oil filter essentially consists of a metal shell having a high volume of empty space in its interior, which occupies a larger volume than necessary when discarded.
The problems noted above are made especially acute in an operation which generates a large number of used oil filters, such as automotive service stations, oil change centers, or vehicle fleet maintenance centers.
The present invention has its object to provide an oil filter crusher which simultaneously compacts a used oil filter and expels used oil from the filter. A further object of the invention is to provide an oil filter crusher which is simple in construction and operation, yet which incorporates a number of features which enhance the safety and operation of the crusher.
The invention contemplates an oil filter crusher having a housing defining an internal cavity including a crushing chamber adapted to receive an oil filter. The housing includes an opening which provides access to the crushing chamber. A door is movably mounted to the housing at the opening. The door is movable between an open position for providing access to the crushing chamber to allow placement of an oil filter in the crushing chamber or removal of an oil filter therefrom, and a closed position to block access to the crushing chamber through the opening. A reciprocable member is located within the cavity. Movement of the reciprocable member in a first direction provides a crushing stroke for compacting the oil filter and expelling used oil therefrom. Movement of the reciprocable member in a second direction provides a return stroke. The reciprocable member preferably comprises a piston assembly having a head and a rod. Structure is provided at the end of the rod opposite the head for engaging the oil filter during the crushing stroke. A selectively actuable pressurized fluid supply system is provided for supplying pressurized fluid to the piston head to move the piston in the first direction to provide the crushing stroke. The pressurized fluid is provided to a piston chamber forming part of the internal cavity of the housing, and the piston head is movable in the first direction in response to supply of pressurized fluid to the piston chamber. The pressurized fluid is preferably compressed air, supplied from an external air compressor through a fitting to the pressurized fluid supply system. A selectively actuable valve is provided in the pressurized fluid supply system, for selectively supplying pressurized air to the piston chamber, and selectively cutting off supply of pressurized air to the piston chamber.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an actuator arrangement is interposed between the door and the pressurized fluid supply system, for actuating the system upon movement of the door to its closed position to automatically supply pressurized fluid to the piston chamber. In this manner, the crushing stroke of the piston assembly is initiated upon closing of the door. The valve is preferably located in the internal cavity defined by the housing, and includes a movable stem for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid therethrough. An actuator member is mounted to the door for engaging the movable valve stem upon movement of the door to its closed position. A plate member is located within the housing cavity, and the door is mounted to the plate member for movement between its open and closed positions. The door is provided with a horizontal portion which is movably mounted to the plate member for supporting the door and providing movement thereof, and a vertical portion for enclosing the opening in the housing when the door is in its closed position. The actuator member is mounted to the horizontal portion of the door, and movement of the door to its closed position causes the actuator member to engage the valve stem to supply pressurized fluid to the piston head chamber. Movement of the door away from its closed position disengages the actuator member for the valve stem, to cut off the supply of pressurized fluid to the piston chamber and to allow the return stroke of the piston assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a locking arrangement is provided for preventing movement of the door to its open position during the crushing stroke of the piston assembly. The locking arrangement consists of locking structure associated with the piston assembly, which is engageable with locking structure associated with the door during movement of the piston assembly in the first direction during its crushing stroke. As noted previously, the door includes a transverse, or horizontal, portion disposed within the housing cavity, and the locking structure associated with the door includes one or more passages through the transverse portion of the door. The locking structure associated with the piston assembly consists of one or more guide rods mounted to the piston assembly which extend into and through the one or more passages in the transverse portion of the door during movement of the piston assembly in the first direction. With this arrangement, engagement of the guide rods within the passages in the transverse portion of the door prevents the door from being moved to its open position during the crushing stroke of the piston assembly.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a shut-off arrangement is interposed between the pressurized fluid supply system and the piston assembly, for cutting off the supply of pressurized fluid to the piston assembly upon attainment of a predetermined position of the piston assembly within the cavity, to terminate the crushing stroke of the piston assembly. As summarized above, an actuator arrangement is interposed between the door and the pressurized fluid system for actuating the pressurized fluid system upon movement of the door to its closed position, and takes the form of an actuator member mounted to a horizontal portion of the door. The actuator member engages a movable valve stem provided on a valve associated with the pressurized fluid supply system to control passage of pressurized fluid to the piston chamber. The shut-off arrangement includes a ramped surface provided on the piston assembly for moving the door away from its closed position upon attainment of a predetermined position of the piston assembly during its movement in the first direction. Such movement of the door away from its closed position results in disengagement of the actuator member and the movable valve stem, so that the supply of pressurized fluid through the valve to the piston chamber is cut off. When this occurs, the crushing stroke of the piston member is terminated. The ramped surface is provided on one or more of the guide rods which are mounted to the piston head, and engage a surface provided on the transverse, or horizontal, portion of the door for moving the door away from its closed position. As noted previously, the guide rods extend into and through passages formed in the transverse portion of the door to prevent the door from being opened during the crushing stroke of the piston assembly.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the various aspects and features as summarized above are combined into a single structure for providing simplicity in construction and safety in operation of an oil filter crusher.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.